It wasn’t too long ago that Waterloo, Ontario-based Research In Motion made available the new BlackBerry App World 2.0 to select members of the BlackBerry Beta Zone. Well, Tech Blog has just been informed that BlackBerry App World 2.0 is now publicly available to every BlackBerry smartphone owner. We’re told that BlackBerry users will be notified of the upgrade in the coming hours. However, the update might be available by visiting www.blackberry.com/appworld from a BlackBerry smartphone
As we have reported before, the new BlackBerry App World 2.0 offers users the following features:
- New Payment Options
BlackBerry App World will support new payment options in addition to PayPal. Customers will be able to purchase applications using major credit cards, including Visa and MasterCard, in various countries around the world. Carrier billing may also be supported by certain carriers.
- Easier Application Discovery
BlackBerry App World adds new tabbed sections for various lists of applications. Users can horizontally swipe or scroll to quickly view the Top 25 Free Apps, Top 25 Paid Apps and Top 25 Themes, as well as lists of Newest Apps and Recently Updated Apps.
- QR Barcode Scanning
QR barcode scanning is also supported, allowing users to scan a QR code associated with an application from anywhere – the web, print ads, brochures, etc. BlackBerry App World will quickly find the related application and automatically open the application’s information and download page.
- BlackBerry ID
BlackBerry ID provides customers with a device-independent user identification (ID) used with BlackBerry App World. It enables new payment options, including credit cards and integrated carrier billing*, and allows customers to seamlessly transfer their personal library of free and purchased apps when they switch to a new BlackBerry smartphone.
In addition, BlackBerry App World developers will now be able to offer applications for just $0.99 and $1.99. New features are expected to be added in the near future.
I was able to access the BlackBerry App World 2.0 beta through the BlackBerry Beta Zone, and I have to admit that the new version of the App World has definitely been improved. I find it to be faster and better than before. Be sure to let us know your impressions in the comments below.